Store Bought Can Be Good

Party leftovers are the best for several reasons:
1. You might not have even cooked the dish to begin with.
2. You may not have eaten it the first time around.
3. If it isn't good, you don't feel guilty throwing it away.
4. It saves you from cooking for at least a day or two.

Last night we held a party for two friends retiring from the English department. With at least 50 people in attendance, copious amounts of food were presented, consumed, and left behind for me. (Yay!) One of the best dishes was a dessert (of course) - Aaron Sanchez's Mexican Brownies. (The recipe is available at foodnetwork.com.) These babies were excellent and went quickly! (My friend was telling me about her very Italian mother's reaction to the idea of chili powder in brownies, and I knew I had to try one. As I walked by the plate there were only two left, so I immediately snagged one and ate it. I wasn't sorry!)

Since the party had a fiesta theme, the counter was covered with every kind of Mexican casserole, appetizer, and salad imaginable. Someone brought spicy baked chicken that was so tender it fell off the bone when you picked it up. (The guys loved that!) My contribution was a taco bar with slow cooker shredded beef, shredded chicken, and black beans plus all the fixings. While all the homemade casseroles and layered dips were delicious, a couple of my favorite foods were actually purchased items. A dish of Bistro 28 brand Quinoa, Black Bean, and Mango Salad found its way to the kitchen and my plate. This was deluxe, and I was overjoyed when there was some left at the end of the night just for me! Upon checking allrecipes.com and foodnetwork.com, I did not find recipes that looked like this (quinoa, black beans, mango, green onions, red bell pepper with only a little dressing comprised of oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt according to the ingredient list), so I'll be making my own while looking for it in a local store. Another pre-made goody was Santa Barbara brand mango and peach salsa (from the refrigerated section of the grocery). This is tangy and fruity, sweet and mellow. One friend (truly my friend since she brought an extra tub of salsa for my fridge) made tortilla rolls filled with cream cheese, chopped green onions, chopped red peppers, etc. and topped them with this salsa. (Yum!)

This party experience taught me to not turn up my nose (or my palate) too quickly at purchased foods. I will be taking another look at the refrigerated salsas and salads at Fry's this week. However, since these items are a little off-beat, I suspect I will find them at some of the smaller markets like Fresh and Easy, Whole Foods, Ranch Market, or AJ's Fine Foods. Graduation at the end of the coming week means my days will be free to roam through interesting stores looking for good eats. I can't wait!